Landscapes |

Olympus XZ-1 Review . Part 1

XZ-1. (Shot with E-PL2, SOOC)

IMPT: THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON A PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT. ALL IMAGES ARE FROM A PRE-PRODUCTION UNIT.

I am reviewing the XZ-1 compact point and shoot digital camera from a professional photographer point of view. All my opinions are entirely personal. I always do my best to be fair, to point out the weaknesses I find. I may not be the fussiest person on earth to nick pick on each camera’s weaknesses cause I am a strong believer in “Overcoming the Limitations of your Camera”. I am NOT writing this review in the most technical engineering way like dpreview.com

I’m writing this as a user, with a background of using various formats film cameras, various brands of DSLRs, mirrorless digital cameras and digital compacts. My first DSLR was the 6MP Canon D60. (NOT the current 60D in case you got it mixed up). My first camera was the Canon A-1.

I believe Images SOOC (straight-out-of-camera) is the BEST way to show.

Even before going into details… I CAN’T WAIT to TELL YOU that: “Finally I have found a compact digital which can give me ABSOLUTELY CLEAN ISO1600 file, and at F1.8, focusing at night IS FASTER than the Olympus PEN E-PL2 with it’s NEW 14-42mm mk2 lens! In fact, there were situations when the PEN could not achieve focus and the XZ-1 DID at the snap of fingers!!!”

shot in lowlight mode, ISO320, F1.8, 1/30sec

Aperture Priority, ISO1600, F1.8, 1/30sec.

Aperture Priority, ISO1600, F2.5 at 112mm, 1/1600sec.

100% Crop from the above image, I can't find any noise!

Amazing Image Stabilization!!! Shot is Shutter Priority Mode, 1/2sec, ISO100, F4.5.

Pinhole Art Filter

Genting Highlands, iAuto Mode, ISO100, F2.5, 1/200sec.

I assure you, ALL images are SOOC. The only thing I did was adding watermark. I have selected a few images to put here. There are MORE in my flickr site in High Resolution for pixel-peepers! However, due to restrictions from Olympus to post original resolution pre-production images online, you will need to have a Flickr Account, ADD me, SEND me a message, and I’ll make sure you can see them.

CLICK HERE!

Care for Our Environment

Rest-in-Peace, 2nd Prize in "Be The Change Photo Competition"

It’s great fun and satisfaction when you go around looking for subject that matters to shoot, and not just shoot mindlessly without an aim. Winning something is a bonus.

Tons of outstanding photographers out there don’t participate in competitions. Many old school photographers still prefer very much to stay in their darkroom and enjoy great traditional printouts rather than posting them online. I was lucky enough to win something.

(Story behind the winning shot: I extended my stay in Bintulu, Sarawak after a wedding shoot with my friend Louis, to photograph Bintulu. This shot was taken when our car broke down by the side of the road and I went to look for a place to pee. While hunting for a discrete spot to do my business, I found this captivating scene).

I believe ARTS should be shared and not kept in the closet. And it should benefit others. And it should be easily understood. ARTS ARE NOT MEANT FOR ARTISTS ONLY. It’s meant for everyone. It’s lame to produce something and give yourself an excuse it’s ARTS when people don’t understand it. So my shots are often simple. (Though sometimes, my wife will exclaim at me, “What the hell is that?” … … Hahaha … … I sincerely believe God gave me a wife to keep me sane).

For the geeks, all shots are done with Olympus E-P1 and the kit lens. A camera small enough and yet produces professional results can double up your photographic opportunities!

Still, the message is “CARE FOR YOUR ENVIRONMENT PLEASE” and it’s not just about using cameras. The following are the other shots I did which was selected for the exhibition last week at The Gardens Shopping Mall, Mid Valley. The Competition was organised by Hot Potato Publishing and you can read about it HERE.

A respectable man with strong determination to contribute to preserving our environment is Mr Matthias Gelber. Please look at what he has to say HERE.

burning forest-1, Bintulu

burning forest 2 - Bintulu

burnt forest, Bintulu

smoky bus, Subang

smoky jeep, Cameron Highlands

littered drain, Bintulu

Heaven

My Favorite Favourite Favourite Song of All Times!!! Click Here and view the images at the same time.

When you are in love, you are in heaven. You forget all unhappy things. There’s no way anyone or anything can take that feeling away. Oh… how deeply I still love my wife after more than 12 years of marriage. Thank You, Lord!

Urban Landscapes, Kuala Lumpur – Part 1

The following is a series of shots from one of my personal project titled “Urban Landscape”. Shots were all done entirely on one quiet Sunday morning. I hope to publish the whole series one day. This series is meant to show our often familiar surroundings in a different light – quiet, serene, yet empty. Do feel free to drop your personal interpretation in the comments column!

Rushing Home

There’s no place better than home. Let us all remember the many homeless out there each day when we are travelling comfortably in our air-conditioned car. At the end of each passing day, it’s good to have some time to yourself, quiet and alone. Sometimes we work so hard for what we’re after and pass it without realizing it.

sunset1

Bukit Tinggi Malaysia – 12 Jul 2009

A passing moment of clouds travelling past. This happened just for a few seconds before the light is all flat.

Shot of the day – 12 Jul 2009, with my new toy (all my buddies know what it is). Good photographs depend on great imagination NOT gear. (Though the Olympus E-P1 grainy film art filter really helps this time… haha…) The best camera is the one in your hands. Let’s all focus on expressing our IMAGINATION!

Self Portrait June 2009

My self-portrait during one of my project shoots

Busy, busy, busy… … so sorry for the long gap in updating. My thoughts on this whole blogging trend lately can be found here.

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